What a nightmare. But it's becoming possible

What a horrible time getting the tickets, again, getting refused at the airport, AGAIN, getting it sorted out again... and now... OK it seems... Our friends are on the way. 

TICKETS ISSUED AT LAST (thank you Ahmed for the photo).

This group (West Bankers with green ID) will be getting to Yorkshire via London - The other group (Jerusalemites with blue ID) will be flying to Manchester ... Then meeting friends from London and elsewhere. And snow?

Really hard to believe this one

About two hours ago we got a phone call from Abed who should have been getting on a plane around now. They were all there in time, all booked in and paid for, but he was told that the ticket had been cancelled. Why, how, what? Such a shock and no idea why. The on-line travel agent we bought the ticket from is closed. The airline can see that the booking was made but then cancelled, and though we have tried really hard to buy the tickets again, it seems there   there was no way of paying for it.

We've just spent two hours talking to everyone at that airport, and to Turkish airlines in Heathrow, and in the end trying to book new tickets on line for early tomorrow morning (a later plane) and at the last minute being defeated as there is no way the Palestinians can buy them OR we can get them a credit card from here to show, and so, in the end, no way to do anything till the morning. And probably best so we can try and sort out that travel agent...

Poor people. They have just gone to find a hotel in Amman, and tomorrow  we are going to try get them on a flight somehow.

What it does mean is no way they can do the Blackburn event tomorrow Thursday and we are so very sorry for anyone who was coming, specially anyone we can't reach who braves the weather to come ... We will be in touch with our friends in Blackburn and see if we can maybe do it... on Monday... don't know. Look out for news.

Really this is one thing we didn't expect. 

I'm sure it will all be worth it when they get here.

Travel well and look forward to seeing you - the students' visit is starting!

This is a picture from the leaders' visit in December.

Tomorrow the Palestinian student visitors arrive in Manchester - in two groups, one via Tel Aviv (those with blue Jerusalem IDs) and one via Amman (those with West Bank IDs). Hope they have a very good journey and have plenty of clothes for the cold. Because it will be cold (outside).

Then the UK participants will meet them in Manchester and travel to the residential in the Yorkshire Dales - wonder how much snow they'll all meet...

We look forward to seeing them all and many people in universities, schools, public meetings... Another CADFA student exchange: good luck to everyone.

Snow??

It will be cold in and around Manchester on Thursday - DO BRING WARM THINGS.
Look...

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Strong to gale force northwesterly winds will bring frequent sleet and snow showers on Wednesday and Thursday with significant wind chill. Sunny spells and wintry showers by Friday.

Updated at: 1530 on Mon 26 Jan 2015

Location Details

Manchester

Location: 53.479, -2.2465

Altitude: 36m above mean sea level

 

A first event for the students - this Thursday

Dear student visitors.... Friends in CADFA have made this event to welcome you on your first day. Please if you have energy be ready to contribute, but if you are very tired after a long night travelling, don't worry. It's an evening to welcome you and there will be plenty of people to speak :)

Dear women who think you are not singers....

Dear women who are part of of the women's exchange, 'Come and sing' but think you cannot sing, do not worry! This comes from the website of one of the groups we will be with....

My Heart Sings builds confidence and connection through feel-good group singing sessions.
We believe that:

1. If you can talk, you can sing
2. Singing feels good – it is fun, exciting and it builds confidence
3. Bringing people together to sing can help change the world.

Here is their website http://www.myheartsings.co.uk/

Looking forward to meeting you and  them :)

Press release for the student visit (from London)

 LESSONS FROM DISCRIMINATION

Students from Palestine show film of their lives at events across Britain as part of CADFA's Twinning in Action project.

Twelve students from Palestine's Al Quds University will be meeting up with students from universities in the north of England and in London for ten days at the end of January and the first week of February.

The exchange is organised by CADFA (Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association), which has facilitated dozens of exchanges between Palestine and Britain in the past ten years,bringing students, women, school children, musicians, footballers to meet each other and learn about each others' lives.

As part of their preparation for the exchange, students are making short films of aspects of their lives. Many aspects of students' lives and concerns are similar of course, but life under Israeli occupation means that Palestinian students have experiences are very different from their friends in the UK. One of the students, for example, has spent one and a half years of his time as a student in an Israeli jail: imprisonment (particularly of boys and men) is one of the issues that students in Palestine have to contend with.

The films by the students will show how their lives are affected by the particularly tense situation in Palestine at the moment as well as the inequality that Palestinians face all the time. In the early summer Mohammed Khdair (aged 17) from Shu'fat, Jerusalem, was kidnapped by Israeli settlers and set on fire. One of the students comes from Shu'fat, and for her film she has interviewed lawyers and families to look at the very different way Israel has treated Mohammed Khdair's killers and treated Palestinians who resist the occupation and how their whole families and communities are punished with them.

Another of the students has made a film about the pressure on his ancient village, Battir, as the Israelis have taken away land for settlements and constructed the Separation Wall.

British students are looking forward to meeting the Palestinians , learning about their lives and discussing human rights and anti-discrimination in both countries. 'This is an amazing opportunity, I am really looking forward to it' said Stephanie Gervais from Goldsmith's University.

Henry de Thierry, a student at Leeds University expects that the opportunity for Palestinian and UK students to meet will be “great for both sides. For Palestinians learning about British life and culture will be a different perspective than to American lifestyle - which they probably see more on TV in Palestine. And for English students,seeing a perspective from someone who actually lives in Palestine rather than hearing it from the. BBC or Sky news.”

Students from the north and from London will join the Palestinians in the Yorkshire Dales and then in London. They will show them their universities and take part in film workshops and end the project with a conference on Britain-Palestine student twinning.

The students will show film and talk to the public at events in Blackburn, Yorkshire Dales, Leeds, Manchester, Lincoln and London, with the final event on Saturday 7^th February in Camden. More information from contact@camdenabudis.net and the project blog twinninginaction.blogspot.co.uk

Some of the Palestinian women visitors (coming in March) (with Hazem at Dar Assadaqa)

Students - see where you are going.....

Palestinians, look for Manchester - Blackburn - the Yorkshire Dales... then you will need a new map as you go south to London.

Women's visit in March

Today there is a preparation meeting in Dar Assadaqa, Abu Dis, for the women who will be coming to the UK in  March. 

Applications are still open in the UK for participants on this visit!!

Outline programme for Palestinian women’s visit March 2015 24/1/15

Thurs 12th March	Palestinian women arrive Manchester	event in Manchester
Fri 13th March	to North Wales residential
Sat 14th March	North Wales	event in Carmarthen?
Sun 15th March	North Wales	event in Bangor?
Mon 16th March	group divides in two** Groups travel to Llanidloes and Pendle	Event in Llani TBC Event in Blackburn?
Tues 17th March	Two groups: Llani and Pendle	Event in Pendle? Event in Knighton?
Weds 18th March	Travel in two groups to Northampton and Worcester	Event in Northampton Event in Worcester?
Thurs 19th March	Day to be decided; to be in London by Tuesday morning
Fri 20th March	London tourism day
Sat 21st March	Skills sharing day including music, cooking, puppetry – or Sunday	Event in Hackney
Sun 22nd March	(late) international women’s day	Event in Camden
Mon 23rd March	Palestinian women return home

From one of the CADFA women's visits - two or three years ago?

Palestinian students speak out ... Public events during the students' visit to the UK

Place	Date	venue
Blackburn	Thursday 27th Jan	Shahi Qila Indian Restaurant, Shear Bank Road, BB1 8AP
Yorkshire Dales	Sunday 1st February	Our residential
Manchester University	Monday 2nd February	Ask for details
Lincoln University	Monday 2nd February 2pm	Ask for details
Leeds University	Monday 2nd February	Ask for details
Ilford	Thursday 5th February	Ask for details
University College, London	Wednesday 4th  February	Ask for details
King’s College	Wednesday 4th  February	Ask for details
Birkbeck College	Wednesday 4th  February 2-4pm	Ask for details
Goldsmith’s	4 February	Meeting,  tour with PS , lunch and talk
Camden	Saturday 7th February	Student twinning conference Room G22    Pearson (North East Entrance)
Camden	Saturday 7th February	Somers Town Community Centre Ossulston St NW1

Sunday with CADFA :)

Look at this - Last Sunday the Palestinian students met to talk about their visit to Britain... And this is what they sent us!!

https://plus.google.com/100194930025098067836/stories/5de5ba7d-da0a-3555-ab28-ea55bc1b89b914afe7a5a1a?authkey=COT-w4GInObLHA

FAQs for UK student participants.

19^th January 2015

Dear all of you

Thanks for your interest in the Twinning in Action project and specially for your interest in being a participant.  

There is an application form on the website... here  However, time's rushing on and the exchange isn't very far from now so please get in touch fast and we hope to speak to all applicants in the next day or two.

Some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the purpose of the project?  Please see the INFO SHEET about the project which includes its objectives.

What are the dates and the programme? (also on the info sheet above)

Who is running it and who are they?  CADFA - have a look at our website and FB page -  We're happy of course to tell you more about us if you can't find out enough from there.

Why is CADFA running these exchanges? To try and build links between people and organisations in Britain and Palestine - here, students in particular - in order to build awareness of the human rights situation in Palestine and encourage people to work for human rights and oppose discrimination

Is this the first time CADFA has done this? No, we've run many student exchanges before this (and many other exchanges, for youth, women and others) - See for example last year's student visit blog

Who is funding the project? Erasmus + (European Union) will give us a big chunk of funding, but not enough to keep the whole thing going. We also need to do further fundraising and will ask everyone around us to help - CADFA members do fundraisers, student unions, student groups, collections at events and contributions from participants.

What does being 'a participant' mean? This 'Erasmus +' - funded project will involve 15 Palestinians and in theory 15 from Britain - though many more will be involved in one way or another. However at the middle will be a special 15 whom we can subsidise to take more part in the project.

Do I have to be there for the whole 10 days if I am a participant? You need to be there for enough of the project to be a main part of it; if you are able at this stage to come to the residential but you need time after that for your lectures etc, we understand - let's discuss how much you can realistically do.

I can't come to the residential - Can I still be a participant? There are lots of ways to be involved in this project - At your university, meeting with the students doing London tourism, helping run events etc etc. The best thing is to contact us.

What will I get out of it? 

Definitely a good time and a strong experience with people from Palestine.

You will learn a lot, wherever you are starting from. People on previous projects have included students who know a lot about Palestine (but they always learn more) and people who know almost nothing (who always learn more). 

This is a film project, so you will have the chance to learn some different skills.  

You will get a Youthpass certificate if you are a participant. 

People who have been part of these projects before have even quoted them successfully when they apply for jobs!

Do I need to be good at film work? No – great if you are but that is just a bonus. Don’t worry.

What should I contribute? Energy, ideas, effort and a contribution towards the project fundraising. 

How much do I have to pay? We ask everyone involved in our projects to make a contribution (people from the UK and Palestinians too). We ask UK participants to join CADFA – see here .  We also for a commitment to raise some money for CADFA which helps keep this work going -  this may be through your student union/ student group or your own fundraising efforts.  (One way of doing this is through virginmoneygiving.com )

When will I know if I have a place? Contact us fast now please.

What should I prepare? 

NOW – a very short paragraph about your university.

Ideas about the 'British Day' during the residential; 

To discuss with us a visit for the group of the Palestinians to your university.

FOR THE PROJECT - A short presentation about student life in your university. 

If possible some short film clips, but this is not as important as it is for the Palestinians as you will have the opportunity to make these film clips during the residential. 

What am I expected to do afterwards?

Take part in project evaluation and write a SHORT NON-ACADEMIC project report.

Give us some of your photos/ video

Do a feedback session (tell people at your university how it went)

Keep in touch with your new friends!

Join the students’ link group and help towards on-going student links with Palestine. Help keep the student blog going.

Where is the residential? In the Yorkshire Dales.

How do I get there?We need quickly to find out where our group is coming from and decide if we are going together and if so where to meet - ring me please! If you don't have my number pls email contact@camdenabudis.net

Do I need to pay my fare? No: if you can come/ leave with the group (on our bus or with the same timing as the group) we will take you or reimburse your fare when you have fulfilled your commitment to the project.

What should I bring to the residential?

Warm practical clothes, rainwear, shoes/ boots to walk in the countryside in

A sleeping bag

A small bag for carrying things on country walks

Anything you need for your presentation about your university

A tablet/ laptop could be helpful

A camera - and if it can take film, even better.

CADFA Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association

Linking together for human rights
293-299 Kentish Town Road
London NW5 2TJ

http:/www.camdenabudis.net 

Charity number 1112717

Palestinian students' meeting on 18th January

Notes sent by Qasem Tobal from Al Quds University

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” George Bernard Shaw said.

Today Sunday Jan 18^th, was a great sunny day with the Palestinian participants of twinning in action project. My name is Qasem Tobal and I'm a trainer who got invited to volunteer in this session by Mr. Sameh Arekat, since he wanted the best for the group. I started our meeting today with some icebreaking activities for the students in Friendship House Center in Abu Dis. At the beginning of this meeting the students were confused and seemed careless, but as soon as we started the activities, they paid attention to the way of training. Although, they thought that some of these activities are made for kids, but they changed their minds once the discussion had begun. I felt that these students has something to share and to give, but some walls of fear are blocking their abilities, and that’s why I focused on life skills.

We started the ice breaking session with introducing ourselves to each other, then playing some activities to energize ourselves. At first there were too much seriousness and tension, but soon it changed to a laughing and friendly time, many games were played and they became as a one real group. 

After that life skills and leadership session took place, I’ve facilitated a discussion about their skills then we discussed their idle people to reach to the best of their thoughts and beliefs. I gave them many advices about the communication skills, and also what is necessary to know in order to be a good leader and a good participant as well, since they will live in different environment and different culture soon, the fact is most of things won’t be the same! We had a good discussion about the necessity of the communication when they’re abroad, and the ways of keeping conversations and discussions effective, I was so glad that they had fun after those sessions and they didn’t feel bored at all, that means there’s something changed in them and I hope they will do great in London.

Health and Safety was the next session held by Mr. Hazem Abuhilal, he mentioned many things about the safety of them and the way they should behave in a different situations, he started with basics and told them about many aspect they must take into consideration.

Sameh Arekat, made sure that the group will get prepared, he gave them a general introduction to the life in London, and things they might face in their presence abroad, he also talked about the duties of each participant and what is wanted from each of them before, during and after the visit. These advices were important for participant who never been abroad, he also talked about the purposes of the visit and what should be the outcome of their project.

Palestinian participants are so excited after a long day, and they are full of ideas and imaginations, which are ready to explore there in London! I wish the both of sides the best of Luck.

UK info sheet for the student exchange

CADFA Palestinian/ UK students’ exchange 29^th January to 9^th February 2015

This exchange is part of the CADFA Twinning in Action project – see twinninginaction.blogspot.co.uk and www.camdenabudis.net/twinninginaction.html

The students’ exchange will bring 15 Palestinians (12 of them students at the Al Quds University) to spend time with students from the UK (from a number of different universities including universities with links to Al Quds).  This is one of CADFA’s regular student exchanges which aim to build links to promote human rights. The theme of this exchange is film.

Project Objectives

• To bring university students from Palestine to meet and exchange experiences with their counterparts from Britain

• To increase their awareness of human rights issues and to challenge discrimination

•     To give them an opportunity to make some film together about their lives as students

• To build on previous work that CADFA has done and strengthen twinning links between  student unions in Britain and in Palestine

The ten days will include a residential in the Yorkshire Dales (with a ‘British day’ planned by students from the UK and a ‘Palestinian day’ planned by the Al Quds students), visits to universities in and out of London and film activities. The outline timetable is below.

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How can individuals be involved?

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS - A great opportunity during the residential and the time in London to meet with Palestinian students and contribute to a great project. Opportunity to learn and enjoy! Please be in touch quickly: We welcome applications now from UK students as the Palestinian group is already decided.  contact@camdenabudis.net

HELPERS – We need help with lots of things including film. If you’re interested do get in touch.How can student groups be involved?

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How can student groups be involved?

By helping on the ‘university days’ to show the students your university, organisingactivitiesfor the students, running public events so even more people can share in this great project, sending people from your group to be participants in the project, joining the Student Twinning Conference.

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COME TO THE TWINNING CONFERENCE ON 7th FEBRUARY https://www.facebook.com/events/1319846191433137/

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Further info on the context

·         CADFA’s previous student projects include

·         Exchanges – see maantogether.blogspot.co.uk

·         Publication – see ‘Look at our Lives’ book available from Dar Assadaqa or CADFA office

·         On-going student links – see CADFAstudent.blogspot.co.uk

·         Student twinning conference – please share with friends - https://www.facebook.com/events/1319846191433137

TIMETABLE
Thursday 29th January	Palestinians arrive in Manchester
Friday 30th January	Project starts in Yorkshire
Saturday 31st January	British day – still in Yorkshire
Sunday 1st February	Palestinian day – still in Yorkshire
Monday 2nd February	Northern University day – visits to several universities in groups
Tuesday 3rd February	London tourism day
Wednesday 4th February	London University day – visits to several universities in groups
Thursday 5th February	Film workshop day
Friday 6th February	Film editing day
Saturday  7th February	Student twinning conference  - CADFA public event in the evening
Sunday 8th February	Outing to Cambridge  And evaluation
Monday 9th February	Palestinians travel home

More information from: contact@camdenabudis.net